


Fall back into place

by maybeillride



Series: Songfics [6]
Category: Free!
Genre: Day 3: Destiny/Soulmates, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Rinharu Week, Sleepy Cuddles, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-25
Updated: 2015-11-25
Packaged: 2018-05-03 09:46:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5286008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maybeillride/pseuds/maybeillride
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That damn song kicks off in his head again in the sudden silence, but it feels different with Haru snugged in his arms. Every word is perfect for them, the fingers of light painting across Haru’s face matching the woozy beauty of the guitars, the two of them in a safe bubble surrounded by darkness and cold and danger.</p><p>For RinHaru Week, Day 3: Destiny/Soulmates</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fall back into place

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Daxii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daxii/gifts), [Aenya](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aenya/gifts).



> The lovely song this is heavily inspired by ("Space Song" by Beach House) is so dang RinHaru i can't stand it. I HIGHLY recommend you track it down if you haven't. Bring Kleenex ;)
> 
> For my incredibly gifted and lovely RH baes Daxii and TheGirlOnFandoms. Thank you, ladies <3

They hurtle through the night in a quiet, dark capsule, a gently-rocking cocoon carrying them to their next stop, their next challenge, their next test, their next chance.

The late-night snores and mumbles and occasional shifts under thin fleece blankets from the seats around them are the only sounds on the coach, other than the soft country music Rin can just make out from the front of the bus as the driver does all he can to stay awake.

Rin can’t sleep.

The day was too much, the last-minute prep still settling into his muscles and bones, his mind buzzing with adrenaline over what’s to come. He leans his head back into the plush seat and tries to let the freeway lights hypnotize him down. The cool white fingers search through the window, but the swaying beat only calls a favorite song into his mind, a dreamy lullaby that never fails to make him cry. Bloody inconvenient.

He rocks his head over to his seatmate and frowns.

Haru’s sleeping, but he’s dreaming, and it’s a _bad_ dream, his body curled into a tiny ball on the coach seat like he’s a prey animal trying to let as little of himself be shown to some massive predator out for him. His face has let its calm slip. He’s… _terrified._ His eyes are hard slits. His hair is damp with sweat. And his mouth is wide open, like somewhere inside he’s screaming, even as Rin doesn’t hear a sound.

Rin turns without a thought, and slips one arm around behind his hunched shoulders, and tucks the other arm under Haru’s knees, easing them gently across his lap. Haru’s still silent, his head falling into Rin’s neck. But this close, he can feel Haru’s breath, too-fast and hot.

“…shhh…shhh…” Rin hushes, softly, angling himself carefully against Haru’s ear so his words are just for him. He keeps it going, coming and going in and out like the water against the beach at home, a sound he knows is the best lullaby for Haru. It doesn’t take long before he gets his reward. The animal-pants on his skin skip, stutter, and slow, and then there’s a hitching sigh and Haru moans softly before his breaths stretch and even. Rin smiles to himself and keeps up his little seaside-hushing, elongating his waves to match Haru’s peaceful breathing. He adjusts Haru more comfortably against him, his body as limp and posable as a giant doll. He smiles at the improbable thought and cranes up to lay a little kiss on Haru’s damp forehead, resting his cheek there.

That damn song kicks off in his head again in the sudden silence, but it feels different with Haru snugged in his arms. Every word is perfect for them, the fingers of light painting across Haru’s face matching the woozy beauty of the guitars, the two of them in a safe bubble surrounded by darkness and cold and danger.

_Tender is the night for a broken heart …. Who will dry your eyes when it falls apart?_

“You remember when your parents drove us up the coast?” he breathes into Haru’s ear. The soft rise and fall of Haru’s chest continues undisturbed. “My mom was so happy you invited me. I think it was around the anniversary…? I know I was having a particularly hard time, missing him.” He’s surprised when he has to stop and collect himself… so many years, so long for this key fact to stitch itself fully into his life, and still he cries.

He distracts himself, gently smoothing a hand down Haru’s relaxed thigh, and can finally go on. “Your parents knew, too. And they were trying so hard to be nice to me. I think they bought me shaved ice every day.” He huffs a little laugh into the secret cup of Haru’s ear.

“But you didn’t treat me any different. You didn’t act like I was fragile. You just let me talk that one night, in the backseat, and I was so mad, and you just listened and let me get it all out.” Rin tucks his head against Haru’s and closes his eyes, and they’re suddenly _there,_ he and Haru, he sore and a little delirious from the bad sunburn he got that day, Haru’s bare arms and legs already going dark with the tan that Rin envies so much.

They’re safely buckled in the back of the Nanases’ sedan and Rin is _so ANGRY,_ how could his dad DO that, how could he leave his mom, his sister? How could he leave _him?_ And here he was supposed to be this great swimmer, this famous swimmer, and did that help him when it all came down to it? Did all his skill save him? No. Expert swimmer drowns, can you say ironic?? Rin hates him, he hates him, and he hates God for letting that happen, for letting his dad be out in a storm when he should’ve been home safe with them.

And it’s the funniest thing. Haru doesn’t scoff at him, or tell him he’s being stupid, or worse yet get all _melty_ in his face and his voice like people always do when the subject turns to this. He just leans his head back on the seat, watching Rin so solemnly, the streetlights playing across his face, and then he reaches out and finds Rin’s hand where it’s a tight fist at his side.

Finds it and gently lays his hand over it, like a dad coming into his kid’s bedroom at night and tucking him back in when he’s had a nightmare.

Rin’s eyes flutter open, disoriented to be back in the present, in the dark of the coach with their team.

Haru sighs in his sleep. And tightens his hand over Rin’s.

**Author's Note:**

> I literally had to keep mopping my eyes as i wrote that so i could see the screen. DAMN I'M A SAP lol. Thank you so much for reading and i'd love to know what you think! (I need to give these boys more love i think... <3)


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